


Hazy Shades of Winter

by ColdEmergency



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: AU, Bellatrix raises Harry Potter, Dark Harry Potter, Death Eaters Raise Harry Potter, F/M, Gen, Harry Potter was Raised by Other(s), Horror, Implied/Referenced Torture, M/M, Sane Voldemort (Harry Potter), Slow Build, Time Skips, Torture, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:20:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 18,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25324537
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColdEmergency/pseuds/ColdEmergency
Summary: Imagine the horror Dumbledore felt when the first year check in on Harry resulted in the Dursley’s telling him they had no idea what he was talking about, as they never had the young Potter as their ward.A toddler laughs joyfully, wobbling towards the woman who had crazier hair than him. “Come here itty-bitty-baby!” Bellatrix cackled, her eyes shining.
Relationships: Bartemius Crouch Jr./Voldemort, Bellatrix Black Lestrange/Rodolphus Lestrange, Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, implied
Comments: 184
Kudos: 961





	1. The Start of Something Beautiful

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Harry Potter universe, I do not take credit or ownership of any of the characters and universe. I do not make money off of these stories. All belongs to J.K Rowling and the Warner Bro Company. I'm just here for a good time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! A new fic here. It’s a Harry Potter raised by Death Eaters AU. Between the time from the Dark Lord’s disappearance and before the attack on the Longbottom’s. The day after his supposed defeat, Bellatrix and Barty Crouch Jr. realized that Harry Potter lived. Due to an unfortunate case of Hagrid's motorbike being extremely loud, and Bellatrix’s determination, they see where baby Potter is left on the night of November 1st, 1981. In hopes of it leading her to her Lord, Bellatrix steals the child away.
> 
> Edited: July 22, 2020

**November 1st, 1981 Privet Drive, Surrey**

The loud engine of a motorcycle ripped through the quiet night. Bellatrix Lestrange licked her lips in anticipation. They had been following the big oaf for the last two hours, waiting for him to land. Imagine the surprise to both Death Easter’s when they were taken to suburban muggle territory. 

“Must be a secret hide-out,” Barty whispered. Bellatrix hissed and smacked the younger man's arm.

“Shut up! ” The woman rushed out in a hushed tone. She and Barty were hiding towards the end of the street where the half-giant landed. Bellatrix could recognize Albus Dumbledore from this far away. No other wizard wore crazy purple robes and sported a long white beard as he. She felt a growl low in her throat, but she kept quiet. Beside him was McGonagall, it seemed to be a street party for light wizards.

The big man was carrying what they knew to be the infant Potter, it was handed carefully to Dumbledore. There were words exchanged, unfortunately, Bellatrix was too far away to hear the conversation. She didn’t dare use magic, lest it alerts the three of their position. Barty shifted and tried to get a better look, he clipped the side of Bellatrix’s foot, and she actually growled this time.

“I swear to Morganna Barty, I will hex you!” She shoved the man hard, causing him to fall over with a soft 'oof’' into the perfectly manicured lawn. The two were crouching behind a tall hedge, so they were well hidden. The barely legal wizard began to complain, but Bellatrix held up her hand. “They’re moving towards a house,” She exclaimed. Barty raced to get up, and Bellatrix pushed him over again in his haste. She allowed him to get up the second time, and both of the Death Eater’s watched the Headmaster of Hogwarts place the bundle down onto a doorstep. More words were exchanged, and then the older wizards started to leave. 

“Who leaves a baby on a step?” Barty asked incredulously. Bellatrix pulled out her wand before whispering back,

“It might be a trap.” Barty fumbled to bring his own wand out. “They might have figured out that they were followed, and are just waiting for us to emerge.” Barty’s eye darted around quickly, and he licked his lips in anticipation.

“Surely they wouldn’t shoot spells at us if we were near the baby?”

“You never know with these backward people,” Bellatrix spat. While standing from her crouched position her knees cracked, and she ignored it. She was 31 years young, plenty of time to worry about aging later. “Let’s go. It'll be much better if we can grab him quickly and apparate.” Barty nodded, and the two figures edged through the shadows towards the house. Needing to cross the street, they did so using muggle transportation as coverage. Nothing seemed to be out of place, however. Bellatrix couldn’t believe her luck, had they really just left? They approached the front of the house, on the slats sat a small white number 4.

Bellatrix cautiously walked up to the bundle, she had her wand pointed to it. The small figure shifted, and she paused while holding her breath. Taking the first step up she peered over the blanket, drinking in her first look at the tiny traitor. His little face was scrunched up, almost as if he was going to cry any minute. He had splotches of red on his cheeks and a fresh wound on his forehead. His tiny head of curls reminded Bellatrix of her own baby photos. 

“He’s a cute little bugger, huh?” Barty commented peering over Bellatrix’s shoulder, and Bellatrix agreed in her head. She took the second step and closed the rest of the distance. It was too simple, but here he was. She leaned down and picked up the thick blanket, the weight of the child surprised her. While lifting the bundle she noticed a letter that had been tucked under him. 

“Grab that Barty,” The witch commanded, they couldn’t leave any clues. The young man did as he was told. Neither of the two could stop looking at the baby, he was so little. Too innocent. Harry Potter stirred and tried to stretch his little hands. “Shh shh shhh,” Bellatrix cooed, bouncing the bundle in her arms gently.

“We should go,” Barty interrupted, and Bellatrix shot a nasty glare towards him. He was right of course, they shouldn’t keep standing out in the open like this. With the child in hand, they took their leave. Both adults apparated, leaving no evidence that Harry Potter had ever been on that step.

**November 14th, 1981 Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire**

“You can’t keep him here any longer, Bella!” Narcissa spoke quietly, not wanting to wake her own child who lay in a bassinet asleep. Bellatrix pouted and held Harry Potter up, the boy babbled happily, and drool fell from his lips to his chin.

“Look at his wittle face!” She shook him slightly, making it look like he was dancing. Narcissa remained unimpressed. “Where else am I to go, Cissy? The ministry is looking for me, and this is the safest place to be while we look for the Dark Lord.” She turned the baby around and coddled the boy. “We must look for him, yes we do! ” She said in baby talk, and Harry giggled while trying to grab Bellatrix’s curls. His bright green eyes reminded the woman of her second favorite spell, she loved looking at them. 

“That is exactly why you can’t be here!” Narcissa exclaimed a whispered shout. “You are endangering the whole family!” Bellatrix sucked on her teeth and rolled her eyes. She sat Harry down, allowing him to chew on her leather bracelet. “I’m serious. You are a wanted woman, what do you think will happen if they find you here with him? I’ll tell you Bella-They will lock all of us up without a trial like Sirius, and then I will never see my son again. ” Bellatrix looked over to the bassinet and remembered how happy her nephew was. The two children sat and babbled cutely with each other, she couldn’t imagine not seeing him again.

“Alright,” She huffed. Her sister’s whole body sagged in relief. “The Dark Lord won’t be happy to hear it though.” Narcissa’s jaw clenched, and she could tell her sister was biting her tongue. “We will find him. He will return, and it will be glorious.” The dark wizard stood from her seat, careful not to jostle the young boy in her arms. Harry’s chubby legs kicked away once he realized he was suspended in the air. Bellatrix maneuvered him so he was sitting on her hip like she’d seen Narcissa do with Draco. It was more uncomfortable than she thought it would be. “Let’s go! Let’s go on an adventure Harry Potter.” She sang to him, and he squealed, kicking his legs again. She walked out of the sitting room and crackled loudly when Draco began crying. Narcissa sighed and got up, she had just wanted twenty minutes of peace.

**November 16th, 1981 (?)**

“A-are you sure this is the r-right place?” A mousy voice cut through the silence, a bright spell was cast, and the front door was thrown open. The busty witch grinned ear to ear, her hair was up in an intricate bun. Bellatrix ignored Wormtail and hiked Harry up on her hip higher. The movement caused the child's hair to bounce comically. She walked into the manor, one thigh-high boot at a time. The place had been abandoned since the murder of its residents, the Riddles. Bellatrix cast a Lumos, and Harry garbled while trying to touch the pretty light with his chubby hands.

“It’s the right place alright,” Barty commented while following her through the entryway. “Fix that door Wormy.” The man who had one less finger than before complying. “We should be safe here then, yeah?” Bellatrix took in the desolate foyer and hummed.

“No one will come around here. If they do, we'll just kill them. Won’t we Harry ?” The toddler was currently sucking on his own thumb, head on the witch's shoulder, gazing at the tip of her lit wand. “What did Rodolphus say in his letter?” She asked, then continued into the manor. There would be some serious work to be done. She started to her right, where there seemingly was a sitting room.

“He said there was no sign of the Dark Lord in the Forbidden Forest. The centaurs were truly unrest. He and Rabastan said they would be heading to Albania on the 16th, if not there they will be trying Borgin and Burkes again. After that, we need to assume he’s at Hogwarts. There is nowhere else. ”

“Let’s hope not. We won’t be able to get even five feet past the gates.” Wormtail scurried into the sitting area, and Bellatrix scowled. “Light the fireplace. Then go make sure the whole house is empty.” She didn’t want to deal with squatters. The man turned in place and hurriedly left again after doing as he was told. Bellatrix really couldn’t stand looking at his face.

She canceled her Lumos, and waved a short spell, clearing dust along with the white sheet off an antique-looking sofa. She moved Harry off her hip and sat down. The child squirmed ruthlessly, and she placed him on the dirty floor. He needed a bath badly anyway. Bellatrix leaned back into her seat and crossed her legs, her wand twirled between her fingers and she thought of their next steps.

“Gopa,” Harry babbled while he began crawling towards the lit fire. Bellatrix whistled, which stopped the toddler. He turned to her clumsily and smiled before adjusting his small body to face her instead of the flames. He tried to get up from his knees, and successfully balanced himself momentarily. The toddler laughed joyfully, wobbling towards the woman who had crazier hair than he. She sat up and uncrossed her legs, holding her hands out for the baby to latch onto.

“Come here itty-bitty -baby!” Bellatrix cackled, her eyes shining. He took a step then fell onto his diapered bum. There was a momentary look of shock before he gazed up to Bellatrix. She smiled at him, and he smiled back. He started crawling towards her, and his drool left a wet trail on the dusty floor. The child's knees were black with dirt, his hands absolutely covered. Bellatrix scooped him up when he was close enough. She stood and swung her body around, causing the boy to scream out excitedly. “Harry Potter likes to live dangerously! ” She yelled and held him high in the air. She began to throw him up, not too high in case she dropped him.

“You’re too rough with him Bella,” Barty said from his own seat. He was watching her with a dubiously raised eyebrow. She stuck her tongue out at him.

“He loves it, look at him. All smiles. A smiley boy aren’t you, Harry ?” She received a small laugh that she believed was supposed to be an imitation of her cackle. It almost sounded like he was fake coughing. 

“Don’t get too attached,” Barty warned, not being able to help to smile at the scene in front of him.

“Don’t be silly,” She singsonged, smiling up at the baby. His bright eyes reflected her own crazed look.

She was already too attached.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is going to be a fic where I'll update it whenever I feel like. It was a story bug and I needed to write it out. Comments and kudos are appreciated <3


	2. Home

**December 17th, 1981 Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton** ****

That morning started like every other, with Bellatrix watching the baby while he slept. His little chest expanding shallowly, his tiny hands curled into fists. Sometimes she’d reach out and run the knuckle of her finger along his soft cheek. He always had perfect rosy cheeks. Unlike Draco who seemed to be splotchy and yellow at times. Both she and the child rested on their stomachs that night. She had been hesitant to sleep on the same bed as him, scared to roll over and crush him. But he wouldn’t sleep if he was too far away from her. She had forced Wormtail to steal a crib for her, but Harry would get restless the moment she placed him in it. It was one of the only times he’d cry. Standing against the edge of the bars, he would be trying desperately to reach her through them. His little legs would lift one at a time as if he could climb over the edge if he tried hard enough.

She had given up on the third night and started putting him on the bed with her. She had learned a spell from Cissy, one that you could cast around the child. It created a sort of alert system for the child if their pulse started too quickly or slowed dangerously, the wards around the bed would sound off, waking the adult. A monitoring system useful for new parents. ****

Harry adjusted his own little arm, getting comfortable. He would open his mouth and do this small motion that looked like he was searching for a bottle. It always made her smile. Her smile faded slightly when she heard a door close down the hall. Today may seem like a normal morning, but it wasn’t. Today the Dark Lord would be making his way back to Britain. He had been found in Albania by her husband, possessing snakes. They had been given a tip when a local started talking about how the animals had been acting strangely. They had somehow tamed a massive snake who he had taken control of and stunned it. They had been sent an owl, it only reached them last night.

It was a joyous occasion, yet Bellatrix couldn't help but feel afraid. Not for herself, but for the infant Potter. There was no telling how her Lord would react to him. She may be ordered to kill him; looking at the baby she knew she wouldn't be able to. It may be the first time she’d disobey him. When she gazed at Harry, she saw Draco. She saw her own sisters, and she saw herself as well. He was special, and she would have to try her hardest to convince the Dark Lord. ****

Bright green eyes opened slowly, and Bellatrix watched the baby come into consciousness slowly. His eyes focused on her, and his lips spread into his tiny cheeky smile. ****

“Good morning little adventurer,” She whispered. The toddler wobbly propped himself up and looked around the room. His hair clung to his head on the left side where he had been laying on it, but the right side stuck out at all sorts of angles. The witch snorted and covered her mouth and nose. Harry’s attention was pulled back to her, and he started to crawl towards her. He reached out and used his tiny strength to pull himself up, using her shirt, into an almost standing position. The uneven surface of the soft bed made it much more difficult for him and Bellatrix reached out her own hand to steady him. The toddler started to try and get his leg up and over her hip.

“What do you think you’re doing!” Bellatrix screeched and laid flat so she was on her back. Harry squeaked, and she lifted him in the air. She lowered him so their noses were touching, he began to do his fake cough-laugh. “Listen here little man, Bella is gonna be very busy when the Dark lord gets here. So I need you to be good for Uncle Barty.” Harry flexed his fingers. ****

“Buh buh.” ****

“Bye-bye? Why?" The witch pretend-scowled. "Where do you think you’re going?” ****

“Buh buh!” He laughed again, and Bellatrix grinned up at him. Harry had been a bit slow to pick up on words. By no means was he stupid for his age, yet he didn’t know as many simple phrases as Draco did. Narcissa told her not to worry, as some kids developed faster than others. She was still worried. He knew bye-bye. He could say milk, but he often screamed it dramatically. He knew yes and no, stop as well. He would sometimes say ‘up’ to the adults, but he would often only lift his arms. They went through a week where he played this game of wanting up, then down, and then up again. He seemed to use his actions more than words. The little tyke was an absolute tank as well. He would lose a toy under a table, and instead of reaching under he would use all his strength to push the table out of the way. At times when he was picked up when he didn’t want to be, he would go completely limp, becoming dead weight. It was almost like he’d dislocate all his bones and it would be extremely difficult to carry him. Most of the time he was happy-go-lucky.

The smart little Potter even picked up on Bellatrix’s dislike of Wormtail, and he wouldn’t allow the man to go near him without beginning to wail. ****

“No bye-bye. Not yet anyway.” She whispered, lowering the baby onto her chest. They needed to get ready for the day.

**December 17th, 1981 Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton - Evening**

“I lost him!” Barty came running down the stairs and into the seating area, his feet thumping loudly against the carpeted wood. His hair was sticking up in spots, and he had various stains along the front of his shirt. His eyes were crazed and full of fear. He had been watching baby Potter since the morning, and it had been absolute hell. The nineteen-year-old had no idea how to care for a baby, especially not a devil child. Harry had lost his mind when Bellatrix left him with Barty, he had started screaming horribly. It wasn’t the sounds of a sad abandoned child either, it was a rage-filled demon who wanted the whole world to know about his anger.

It had taken four hours to get him to calm down, four hours filled with lots of throwing the child up in the air, an insane amount of baby biscuits, and distracting the kid with overgrown grass in the backyard. By late noon, Harry seemed to have gone back to the sweet child. The one who giggled and drooled without regard. Barty Crouch Jr. wasn’t falling for it, he waited on bated breath for the child to change his mood. Harry Potter was an evil gremlin, masked in his innocents and Barty was sure Bellatrix knew this. She probably thought it was adorable. Barty had placed the child into his crib, just needing a short breather. Not only five minutes later the child was missing.

“What do you mean you lost him! ?” Bellatrix screeched. The way she sounded and looked was almost a mirrored version of the baby. The woman got up from her armchair and scratched furiously at her head of curls before reaching for her wand.

“I put him down for one second, and then he was just gone !” Barty held his hands up in defense of himself, he looked to Rodolphus for support, but the man simply sat further into his chair.

There were four figures in the seating area, the twins, Wormy, and Bella. Each had been sitting in a single seat surrounding a strange cage with a dark cover. It must be Him. There was no sound coming from the cage, but He must have been listening. Bellatrix hissed angrily, and Barty wondered how long it will take for Potter to pick that one up.

“You had one job, Barty,” Bella whispered furiously, pointing her wand at the teen. Rodolphus grunted quietly. She merely scowled before lowering her hand. “If you weren’t so loyal to our Lord, I’d hex your nose right off that face of yours.”

“Bella...” 

“What?!” The woman turned around to face her husband. The man didn’t flinch, but he spoke in a quiet tone.

“Perhaps we should go look for him," He suggested. "The rat will keep watch at the door,” He glanced at the darkened cage and added, “The Dark Lord rests, for now, there isn’t much we can do without the proper ingredients, the faster we find the baby the faster we can all relax.” It was started with a pleading tone. The twins had an extremely hard time in Albania, and it had been nothing short of a miracle to have been able to get the Dark lord here. They had gotten extremely sunburnt and clearly hadn’t been able to get a decent wash in a while, cleaning charms only could remove so much.

“Fine,” She clicked her tongue then spun and began to walk out of the room. “He’s a fast little bugger, so he could be anywhere really,” The three men started to follow her, Wormtail stood meekly at the door, his eyes darting back and forth between Bellatrix and her husband. “I haven’t seen him do stairs yet, but I have no doubt he’d find his way down. Barty and I will check upstairs, Darling-” Bellatrix spun around and placed a hand on her husband's shoulder gently. “Be a dear and check the rooms down here?” She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a small peck on his cheek. It had been a long while since they’d been able to spend any time together.

“Anything for you.” Was his quiet response, at her curt nod he took his leave to the left of the stairs. His brother chose to check the dining room and connecting the staff kitchen. Bellatrix and Barty began climbing the stairs, at the top they went their separate ways, Bellatrix would check the rooms to the left, and Barty the right. She decided closed doors were a good sign that he hadn’t gone in there, there were an exceeding amount of rooms they hadn’t touched and therefore never opened the door.

“Bitty baby !” She called in her light singing voice. Harry always giggled at it, always responding with his arms to be picked up. She walked the hallways and wasn’t granted a response. Bella checked both her room and also the room his crib had been placed in first. It was smart to assume the child would go where it was familiar. Unfortunately, there was no sign of him being in either room. Bellatrix wished dearly that she could Accio the child, but there was a massive risk of hurting him. “Harry! Where’s my sweet boy?” She asked loudly. She listened for any hint of a baby but was given nothing. She scowled at the unmoving photo of a woman on the wall. Before she could light the ugly thing on fire in anger, she heard a delicate scream. It was soon accompanied by shouting. Wormtail was half-yelling and half-sniveling. Bellatrix had never run so fast in her life, she flew down the stairs in such a flurry that she was sure she skipped the last four steps altogether. Barty was barely six feet behind her.

“Getaway! Shoo! PLEASE!” The joke of a man was standing behind one of the armchairs pointing his wand towards the cage. At first glance, it looked like perhaps the rat was yelling at the snake the Dark lord currently possessed, but on closer inspection, it was Harry potter. The child was sitting beside the cage, trying to poke his chubby fingers through the dark blanket that was draped over the cage.

“You dare?!” Bellatrix howled before disarming the animagus. His wand flew high into the air, then clattered to the floor somewhere behind them further into the room. She suddenly stalked forward. Peter looked so confused at what was happening, so he stayed put while she approached him and jabbed her wand under his skinny neck. “If you ever point your wand towards the Dark Lord again I will trap you in your rat form then feed you to a barn of feral cats.” Wormtail cowered, becoming a ball of sniffling garbage.

“Ood Oy. ” Was garbled quietly, and Bellatrix turned her attention away from the pathetic man to her sweet boy. Harry was patting the cage slightly as if it were a dog. His eyes caught onto Bella and his smile grew, he used his free hand to cover his mouth in an “uh-oh” gesture. Bellatrix pouted and crossed her arms. 

“Uh-oh is right.” 

“Shouldn’t we get the baby away from the cage with the giant snake?” Rodolphus asked as he slowly crept into Bella's peripheral. 

“The cage is closed.” His brother responded.

“It’s not locked.” The older twin offered.

“Well of course not, we haven’t any right to lock up our Lord. Are you mad? ”

“Wait- So the snake could just come out ?” Barty questioned nervously.

“The Dark Lord, yes.” Bellatrix corrected. Harry fake coughed and started to bang on the cage with his little fist, making it rattle. “Alright!” She yelled and quickly rounded the chair trying to scoop him up. He grunted like a pig when she yanked on him, but he was holding onto the bars of the cage tightly, not letting go. It was a comical scene, a crazy bushy-haired lady tugging a baby away, while he tries desperately to hold onto a scary-looking cage. “Let go !” She yelled, much like how one might say “drop it” to a dog while playing fetch. She got a growling noise that did sound like a dog. “Up, Harry. UP!” She tried. With every yank, the cage rattled. There was a low hissing noise that sounded threateningly through the uncovered front. Harry’s little head shot up, and he let go of the cage immediately. This caused Bellatrix to lose balance and nearly fall over while holding him. She, fortunately, landed perfectly into the armchair that had been behind her. Harry sat still on her lap, staring at the cage with eyes large from wonder, curiosity.

“You little snot brain,” Bellatrix whispered. She then reached around and held him tightly to her chest as the hissing noise started once again. Harry seemed to be enamored, his only movements his tiny quickened breath and his wiggling toes. 

“Fffffffff.” Fell from his mouth, along with an ample amount of droll. He was trying to hiss back. Bellatrix was horrified. She clamped a hand around his mouth, only slightly disgusted by the transparent slime now coating the pads of her fingers and palm. She hushed him. The room was silent, and no one moved a muscle. The cage stayed noiseless, and Bellatrix decided it was a good time to leave the area. She kept her grip on the baby's mouth and stood, using her head to motion for the men to exit. One by one the occupants left, and the door was left ajar.

“Well… That was absolutely terrifying .” Barty stated, cutting the tense silence once they had all evacuated into the hall.

“It was your fault.” Bella shot back, Harry wiggled a bit in her arms and Bellatrix released her hand. 

“Peter was supposed to be watching the door.” Barty shot back accusingly. All four wizards turned to the squeamish young adult, who turned red at the scrutiny.

“I-I was.” He implored. “I-I have no idea as to h-how he got in! I swear it.” 

“Bimm.” Was the wet response of Harry who was watching the scene with a slimy chin, his hands rested on Bellatrix's arm around his midsection. He smiled cheekily when all eyes turned towards him.

“Could it have been accidental magic?” Rabastan inquired. Bella used her knee to adjust Harry so that he would be sitting on her hip.

“Did you apparate, bitty baby?” She ran her finger along his bottom lip and he began to make raspberry sounds. “Did you want to see the Dark Lord again? You like the Dark Lord, don’t you? Don’t you?” She asked and bounced him happily on her hip. It was more comfortable now than the first time she did it, experience hardened her she supposed. A semi-cackle was returned and she placed a chaste kiss on his unruly hair. “You’ll have to wait until we complete the potion to see him though, or he might just gobble you up !” She screeched and then began tickling the toddler. Harry let out a terribly high pitch noise and began thrashing while giggling.

Barty grimaced at the thought of having to watch the baby being eaten by the snake, the looks on the other faces of the men suggested that they felt the same. The killing curse was one thing, being eaten alive was another. Barty cleared his throat, ceasing Bellatrix’s tickle assault. Both witch and baby were breathing heavily, eyes bright.

“Speaking of the potion…” Barty began. “I would like to hear the exact instructions, every detail. Perhaps I could see a memory...” Rabastan raised an eyebrow.

“Do you think us incapable?”

“No, not at all. I merely meant-" A thoughtful look crossed his face. "Well, I did receive twelve O.W.L.s and several N.E.W.T.s, both including Transfiguration, Herbology, and Potions. So I think that I may be the best choice in starting the potion,” The teen looked over to Bellatrix hopefully, this was both a way to show his Lord how helpful he could really be and also find a spot into the most loyal. If he could be the one to brew the potion to bring his body back, then he was going to do it, wands down, no questions. The twins both looked put off by Barty’s brag, but Bellatrix's faced turned contemplative.

“Yes... I think it would be best for Barty to lead the potion making.” She nodded once, sealing the deal. She had heard about the teens' knack for learning, he had been one of the few who had been asked to join the Unspeakables. He of course had turned it down, as the Dark Lord did not need there to be a follower in that position. He was told to keep the options open however, it could be useful in the future.

“Rodolphus, could you please show Barty our notes?” She asked sweetly, tilting her head and then making Harry wave with his small closed fist. The man seemed to have to swallow down a smile, he coughed slightly and began to search his pockets. His face flushed a light pink when he chose the wrong pocket and fumbled for the other. Bellatrix watched with gentle eyes and a small smirk. She had continued to bounce a little for Harry, who was holding a strand of her hair up to his mouth and trying to suck on it. Her husband took a piece of folded parchment out of his pocket and handed it to Barty’s outreached hand. 

“Oh. This is a bit simple, isn't it?” He asked aloud. His eyes ate up the paper. “You said this was a potion made by the Dark Lord, correct?” After receiving a nod, Barty’s face glowed. He reminded Bellatrix of a child receiving a gift during the holidays, pure delight etched on his features.“Excellent. I’ll start this right away!” And then he was off, probably to gather his potions equipment and the Unicorn Blood that the potion required. They needed snake venom, and luckily the snake the Dark Lord currently possessed was venomous. 

“‘A bit simple’ he says,” Rabastan muttered, mocking the teen. He flinched away nervously when Bellatrix tsk’ ed loudly, Rodolphus snorted at the unsaid scold. He was given a pointed look. 

“Don’t you two have something better to do, hmm?” The twins exchanged glances. “Perhaps… Shower?” She suggested, cocking her head slightly. “You are both quite filthy.”

“Stinky!” Harry yelled promptly, and Bellatrix gasped before cupping his cheek and cooing proudly.

“That’s right! They are stinky, good boy!” Her husband lifted his arm and smelt himself, while his twin frowned and looked to the right stiffly.

“Stinkystinkystinkystin-” Bellatrix covered his babbling mouth.

“Alright, not cute anymore.” She shushed as Harry continued to repeat the word behind her hand. She gave the twins direct instructions to where the working bathroom was, and the fully grown men started to fight over who would get the shower first.

Their bickering could be heard until they turned the corner, and Harry finally stopped repeating his word. The baby replaced it with a long 'gah' sound. Bellatrix began moving her hand to pat over Harry’s mouth so that the sounds coming out were producing a periodic melody of ah-ah-ah-ah. It was hilarious, and Bellatrix started laughing, which in turn made the baby begin to laugh as well. Peter, who had been standing quietly there the whole time had released a puff of air, trying not to laugh. His presence had been all but forgotten by the witch. She abruptly turned and hissed through her teeth venomously, Harry tried to replicate it. Peter shriveled away and backed off. Bella glared at him as he ran to the other room.

“We hate little Wormy, don’t we?” She whispered, petting Harry’s curls and rubbing her nose into them. The baby yawned dramatically. “Yes, yes. We should probably get ready for bed, hmm?” She continued to pet his hair while walking up the steps, by the time they reached their room Harry was already asleep. Luckily this meant that Bella could place him in the crib, and Rodolphus would be able to sleep on the same bed tonight.

She missed him more than she thought she would.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> YO!!!! So here's another chapter, sorry it took so long. I had medical issues that needed to be dealt with, but I'm back! I was motivated by my 5-year-old cousin today when I shouted "wheres the money?" while dunking a rubber duck in the pool, and then for the next two hours, he continuously repeated it until I had to bribe him with ice cream to get him to shut up. My aunt was unimpressed and I take no responsibility.
> 
> Next chapter we see the rise of the Dark Lord!!


	3. Harry Potter and the Man Who Lived

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi hiiiii. I'm super sorry about not updating. I had some health problems and needed a serious break. I suffer from panic disorder, and agoraphobia, so life has been quite difficult. I hope you guys like the new chapter!

**December 26th, 1981 Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton - Noon**

“He’s not happy.”

“When is he ever?”

“When he’s getting his way, of course, the little brat.” Rodolphus had just walked back out into the extended backyard, returning after half an hour of wrestling with a baby. He had been tasked with putting Harry down for his nap and the boy was a downright terror. Because of the incident with Barty, the room was warded against Harry being able to leave VIA magic. It was a tricky piece of warding, but Barty was determined to never lose the child again. They very much needed him out of the way for the next while.

Bellatrix didn’t want Harry there in the yard, as he would certainly ruin something. That boy was a wreck and a menace. She liked to think he got it from her. He had this uncanny ability to royally screw everything up, and she wasn’t going to take the chance with this. This wasn’t a situation where it could be laughed off should he royally screw up their hard work.

She was also a tad nervous about how the Dark Lord would respond to the baby, the one who had done this to him in the first place. If he wasn’t in his right mind, Bellatrix had no way of talking him out of hurting the child. If he was out of sight, there was less of a chance at an instantaneous reaction. It was a win-win in her opinion.

“Alright, now that we’re all here.” Barty started “We can begin.” He had already prepped the cauldron, the only item needed now was the actual snake, as it hosted the Dark Lord. The deadly reptile had been laying silently in the covered cage. It crept out slowly now. The nose became visible as it slithered further, the dark green body shimmering slightly in the sun as it moved completely out of the shelter. The eyes were a blood-red, a trademark of the Dark Lord, and not an actual feature of the snake itself. Soft hissing could be heard as the snake closed in on the cauldron, nosing through the patted down grass. 

All the adults standing in the circle shifted on their feet, both twins watching in shadowed discomfort at the large reptile. Wormtail shook like a leaf, looking very green in the face. Bellatrix chewed on her lip, tasting copper as she relentlessly tore strips away. She gazed up to Barty, and they locked eyes. She was given a small supportive smile. Their eyes were torn from each other at a loud hiss. The Dark lord closed in on the cauldron, and Barty hurried to his side.

The snake’s body wouldn't be able to climb in by itself without touching the flames or the hot bottom, so Barty stepped forward, offering his body as a stepping stool. He was close enough to the fire, that the flames licked at his entire left side, only just burning slightly.

This must have been one of the most frightening things Barty had encountered; a large killer snake inhabited by the Dark Lord inching its way up to his leg and sliding smoothly across his back. The contrast of the cool body and the fire was off-putting. He listened for the snake to lower into the potion, a soft splash indicating that it had begun its descent. Barty only dared to move after he felt the last of the tail leave his neck. The teen stood from his crouched position, taking a deep breath in. He took a couple of steps back, putting himself in the correct position. All five of the wizards stood an equal distance apart as if standing on five points of a star. This would ensure an equal flow of magic from all sides. Barty took out his wand, and the four others followed suit without a word.

He pointed his wand just above the cauldron, and chanted a single phrase “Evocatus illuc corpus, reditus in te.” [1] The tip of his wand began to glow bright orange, it sent a tiny golden beam to a fixed point above the container. Bellatrix joined in, her own wand connecting their string of lights.

“Evocatus illuc corpus, reditus in te.” The twins and Peter chorused, all wands were held high now and shining an amber color. The five beams of light were collected into a ball of energy, and it turned to a liquid before pouring into the cauldron. The potion seemed to draw magic from their cores, and it began to take on the same orange hue before it began bubbling. The lights from their wands began to mingle more with each other, creating sporadic bolts that shot from line to line. As if the magic was sharing itself, closing weak points. The liquids started to boil vehemently, some liquids and dark-colored bubbles spilling over the side. Barty held his stance confidently and continued to chant.

“Evocatus illuc corpus, reditus in te.” The head of the snake peaked over the edge of the cauldron, and the wizards jerked in surprise but held their ground. Its eyes were yellow now, unblinking and shining as bright as the sun. The head peaked out further as its tongue darted quickly, scenting the area. It then stretched its body, and lifted itself over the edge, and down to the ground. It was slow and thumped heavily against the ground. It was able to get far enough away to not be injured. It hesitated, halting before deciding to circle and move closer to Barty. He swallowed thickly but focused his energy on the cauldron. Not allowing his eyes to stray to watch the reptile any longer. The snake bypassed him, seeming to lay just out of reach.

Just then the potion drastically changed color and a blinding blue shot into the air. The tips of their wands extinguished themselves, all traces of orange disappearing. Barty lowered his wand, as did everyone else. They watched in a trance.

The blue beam of light started to condense itself, shrinking inward. It began to darken in color. Stilling for a moment before the light went out completely, leaving a small pillar of moving liquid. It could have been mistaken as a glass chamber filled with deep blue seawater. The wizards all watched, entranced. The pillar jerked suddenly, and the cylindrical shape broke, forcing the liquids to fall back into the cauldron. The fire underneath went out, and Barty smiled. They had done it.

He quickly picked up the discarded robe that had been laying on the cage, and he approached Bellatrix.

“I think you should be the first to greet him,” He whispered. Bellatrix took the robes gingerly and licked her lips. “He will be weak, physically. Remember, this is a ‘rudimentary’ body.” Bellatrix simply nodded before she began walking up to the cauldron. Her heels tried to sink into the dirt, but she paid no mind. Shoes didn’t matter when she was so close to seeing him again.

The snake watched each move through its unblinking eyes. When she peered inside, she forced herself to not flinch at the sight. The being inside the cauldron was a small pitiful thing, almost resembling a baby, yet it was long and skeletal. Its blood-red eyes peered back up at her. 

“Bella. ” She almost cried out in relief. It was Him. Her Lord. He was back.

“My Lord.” She whispered before reaching in using the robe. She maneuvered it around the body, as she would do when towel drying Harry. His skin felt cold, clammy, and he looked sick. She pulled the Dark Lord up, and cradled him against her chest, offering her own warmth. She turned around to the others, and all the men had already bowed down to the ground. The bundle in her arms let out a raspy noise, and a small bony hand tried to lift itself.

“My followers… how grateful I am… to be back.” There was a chorus of quiet ‘My Lord’s’, and the bundle coughed wetly.

“Stand, let me see your faces.” And they did. Bellatrix moved the small being so that he had his head supported, but also so that he could turn his head to look at the four men that had moved to stand in front of them.

“Ah. Young Bartemius.” The teen smiled bashfully at the ground. It wasn’t every day he was singled out by the Dark Lord. “You have proven yourself time and time again. I am… proud.” Barty felt like he could just cry. He didn’t however because that would be embarrassing and he didn’t think the Dark Lord would want a teenager sobbing in front of him.

“Rodolphus, Rabastian.” Each man nodded at their names. “I will not forget your care and respect when you found me. I wasn’t very… pleasant.” This was the closest he’d give to an apology for almost killing both men multiple times while in his rage-induced tantrum as a snake.

“Peter…” Came the last. The young man was fidgeting horribly, unable to move from his spot. “I do not forget the gift you had given me... the Potters...” Bellatrix stiffened at the name, the Dark Lord must have felt it. “I do not believe that you had any part in my temporary demise. You will not be punished for what transpired.” A shaky breath was released and the rat went to grovel, holding his hands up to praise the Dark Lord. He was down on his knees and was shuffling closer to Bella.

“ Thank you, my Lord. Thank you-“ he got too close for Bellatrix’s liking and she kicked out her leg to keep him at bay. He cowered away, hiding his face. Before she could kick at him again there was a raspy laugh coming from the robe she held. It was one of the best sounds she had ever heard in her entire life. The woman looked down and smiled joyfully at her Lord. Voldemort was looking back up at her with a type of fondness that she would always remember. She would burn this look into her brain.

“And Bella. My most loyal…” The woman hugged the bundle a little tighter to her. She would die for this man, kill anyone for him. This was her savior, her Lord. The only reason she had any of her mind left. She shifted a bit, and tugged the robe a bit, to cover some of his exposed skin. She didn’t want him to feel cold at all. 

“I knew we’d find you. I knew it. I never would have given up.” She stated, promised. The crimson eyes narrowed in mirth.

“I know. Unless locked away, you would always come for me-” The small body coughed, and it shook violently. The witch's eyebrows furrowed, not knowing what she could do to help at the moment. This wasn’t Harry, and she doubted the Dark Lord would appreciate a pat on the back. She thought of asking if the man would like some water, but his shaking stopped and he quietly hissed out. “I wish to rest.”

“Of course My Lord.” Bella agreed quickly. Something rubbed up against her boot, and she almost jumped ten feet into the air. The snake hissed loudly, now flanking the witch. She had completely forgotten about the snake. The creature merely stayed next to her. Not making another noise.

“You will find me a warm spot to lay, somewhere Nagini can reach.” The witch nodded, already thinking of a perfect chair near the fireplace. It was the comfiest one in the house, and the cleanest as well. She started to walk towards the house, making sure to keep a firm grip on the bundled robe and keeping her feet away from the following snake. The grass had been patted down to make the passage to the yard easier, so the snake had no issues slithering along.

**December 30th, 1981 Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton**

The following days after the resurrection was quiet as the Dark Lord had needed time to recuperate in his new body. To complete Voldemort’s transformation back into a full-body, he would need to gather enough strength to survive it. They would be able to gather the bones of his deceased father without a hitch, and five eager Death Eaters were willing to sacrifice any parts of themselves for the man. The only hiccup was the blood of a foe. 

The Dark Lord had been told the day after his resurrection about baby Potter residing under the same roof. Before he could react negatively, Bellatrix had rushed to explain that it was better to keep him close. After a harsh reprimand and a tense conversation, Voldemort conceded. It was due to his curiosity more than anything else. The man had wanted to know why the child did not die, and how the spell rebounded onto him. He was convinced of the child being of no threat by both Barty and Bella, even Rodolphus had chimed in about how the lad was just a simple babe.

Barty held his tongue about how the child was the devil in disguise because he hadn’t wanted Harry to be killed. He was a little terror, but most of it was mildly annoying and inconvenient. As a toddler was he supposed. After discussing the next steps in the potion, however, the Dark Lord was sure about Harry’s blood being used. To Barty, it seemed like a terrible choice because the baby wasn’t old enough to be cognizant of enemies. The child's blood would surely cause issues, as he himself was not a true enemy to the Dark Lord. The boy was still in diapers for crying out loud. It could not be one-sided.

“The blood of his traitorous mother and father flow through his veins, that should be enough.”

“My Lord, I implore you to see reason,” Barty begged. “We could choose any number of wizards who outright oppose you.” He offered. “There are plenty of Order members, we could use their blood and eliminate them after.” The Dark Lord's tiny body shuttered, from cold or rage Barty did not know. The young man held his breath, as the Dark Lord’s jaw clenched tightly. His small fingers started to drum along the cushion of the chair, irritated and hasty. They stopped abruptly, and the red eyes looked directly into Barty’s.

“ Bring the child to me.” Was hissed quietly, and Barty felt his stomach drop. As if it had been filled with stone suddenly. Up until this point, the man seemed to not wish for the baby to be near him, and they had been careful to keep him anywhere that the Dark Lord wasn’t.

“My Lord-“

“I will not ask again, Bartemius,” Voldemort warned, tone clear and absolute. The teen bowed his head and excused himself to go grab the baby. He left the room and shut the door behind him quietly. Bellatrix had been taking Harry outside quite a bit lately, keeping him away from the house as long as possible. The backyard was a favorite place to play as the snow began to fall. It created endless entertainment for the toddler.

Making his way to the back door, Barty felt numb. Was he bringing Harry to his death? Had he pushed the Dark Lord too far? The door opened and Barty had to use a bit more force as the wind was blowing towards him, cool air filled the wizards' lungs. It hit his face like a wall, and he trudged through the inch of snow lying beautifully on the grass. The snow was soft, so it didn’t crunch beneath his feet. Instead, it absorbed any impact his feet made, devouring the sound altogether. Over near a tree line, he could hear a murmur, Bellatrix was standing holding her wand out.

“Bella.” He shouted, cupping his hands over his mouth to push his voice far enough to reach her. He hadn’t wanted to sneak up on the witch with her wand in hand. The pale woman dropped her wand arm as she spun to look in his direction. Barty could just make out a small figure just in front of Bella. He was sitting in the middle of a grassy patch, where all the snow had melted around him. Continuing to approach, Bellatrix shot a spell towards the baby. He assumed it was a heating spell, as the wind was chilling. Both Harry’s and her cheeks were brushed with red, the tips of their noses matching pink.

“Barty.” She greeted him when he closed. He crossed his arms and approached, standing directly beside her. They both turned to watch the babe. Harry was distracted by the melted ground beneath him, as the bright green was a stark contrast to the blinding white. He was grabbing at the grass and trying to pull it with all his might. Barty cleared his throat, a puff of air came out of his nose.

“Our Lord wishes to see him.” He quietly spoke. The older woman’s features turned stony, her own visible breath pausing while her lips pushed together. She looked like she wanted to say something, to ask why perhaps. However, she knew better than to question her Lord. Barty could offer no comfort, as he didn’t know what would happen. Harry squealed loudly as he successfully pulled out a patch of grass accompanied by its roots. He waved it around wildly.

“I will bring him.” She whispered, her frown deepening. She walked to the patch of grass and went to pick Harry up. As soon as Bellatrix’s shadow covered him, the boy stopped his playing and smiled brightly. He held his arms up, and Bellatrix felt her lungs constrict in her chest.

“Up! Up!” He exclaimed excitedly, he didn’t seem to notice the somber atmosphere. He continued to smile as he was picked up and placed on the hip of his keeper and even waved over to Barty. It was a sad little wave, more of a hand flop. Barty didn’t respond, he couldn’t get himself to look in his eyes. Instead, he led the way back to the house, walking over his own footprints. 

The trek back was quiet, and Harry was distracted by the snow dust in the wind creating little patterns along the ground. His green eyes followed the best that they could/ Stepping back into the manor was uncomfortable, as their eyes needed to adjust, and the heating charm on Harry was now making him too hot. Bellatrix used her free arm to start taking off his coat, the rest of his outfit was fine, as nothing was wet with melted snow. He started to wiggle, and Bella let him down. He had quickly gotten used to walking on his own and would run in little spurts. He used her leg as a means to balance, and started to suck on his finger. Bellatrix removed her own jacket, and Barty took it from her. They didn’t speak. 

“Mumumumum.” Harry murmured, tugging on her stockings. “Up? Up!”

“Shhh. Shhhh, sweet boy.” She whispered back. She had to believe this was going to be alright. The Dark Lord hadn’t shown any true intent to kill the child, surely he would have said something to her… She began to say a mantra in her head while she bent down to pick him up, and walk towards the sitting area with the Lord. ‘It’ll be alright. We’ll be alright.’ It did little to drown her hopeless feelings that made her chest feel full yet hollow at the same time. She knocked on the door quietly. Behind the wooden entryway, she could hear a muffled ‘enter’.

Time seemed to slow as she opened the door, and stepped past the threshold. Harry was on full alert, as he was very aware that he wasn’t allowed in this room. It was like getting a shiny new toy. He wiggled in excitement, wanting to be put down to explore.

“I’ve brought him, My Lord.” The witch stated, hoping her hands didn’t look as shaky as they felt. She received a hand motion, beckoning her closer. She walked carefully, not wanting to disturb the snake that lay beside the chair. She advanced further until she was directly in front of the small man. Harry had been focusing on the fire but changed his attention as he was lowered to the ground. He instinctively straightened his little legs out, after landing, he looked down at the floor, and then back up at Bellatrix, but she was not looking at him. Abruptly he turned his head to the right, following her gaze.

Green eyes widened and he stared unabashedly into crimson. The Boy Who Lived was now face-to-face with Lord Voldemort. 

Both merely stared, the Dark Lord not looking murderous, instead of calculating. Other than the sound of a crackling fire, it was silent. Voldemort blinked slowly, and Harry’s face split into a big grin. 

“Baby!” He squealed, causing Voldemort to wince and Bellatrix to gape. The toddler waved towards the Dark Lord before attempting to walk towards the chair.

“Harry-” Bellatrix started to bend down, intending to stop him. But a raised hand stopped her, and she watched as the toddler waddled four feet towards her Dark Lord. Her heart felt like it was encased in barbed wire, and was cutting up her insides. Her eyes flickered to the snake, Nagini, and she wished that it would not strike. Luckily, it seemed the snake had no interest in the happenings, as she had yet to respond to them even being in the room.

Harry was at the chair and braced himself with the soft cushion. He put his arms up on the seat and laid his head on his right arm. He was as gentle as a baby could be, and he stared through tilted eyes at the other. He simply stood there, not making a move to touch the Dark Lord. Just watching with interest.

“Harry Potter…” Voldemort muttered, equally as fascinated. The raven-haired toddler smiled again, he recognized his own name. “Those green eyes haunt me .” He admitted to the air. Harry’s eyes didn’t leave him, and he was listening keenly. Voldemort knew the babe didn’t understand. Red eyes flickered up to the child's forehead and he scanned the scar. It was new, as it certainly hadn’t been there before the attack. Yet it looked fresh, recent almost. Still red and puffy. As if it had only just healed enough to stop scabbing. Not being able to help himself, Voldemort leaned forward as far as he could and reached his small hand out. The toddler watched his hand curiously, but he did not flinch, nor back away.

A bony finger met flushed skin, Voldemort traced the scar. Harry was crossed-eyed while he looked up to the hand.

“Curious…” He spoke softly. Something about this scar was familiar. Yet he had never seen it before, he was sure of this. Harry exhaled loudly as if he was bored. Exasperated maybe. It was a very strange expression on a baby. His chubby hand slipped out from under his chin, and he reached up to the skinny one that still touched him. The Dark Lord stilled as Harry held onto his finger, bringing them down to rest on the cushion. The baby unlatched his own fingers and began to pet the top of the Dark Lord's hand. As one might do when consoling someone. 

Harry continued to smile and once again laid his head down on his hand. It was oddly cute, and Voldemort wasn’t entirely sure what to do at this point.

“ _Nagini, what does this boy smell like?_ ” He hissed, and the reaction in front of him was almost comical. Harry Potter’s eyes got incredibly large, his mouth forming into a small ‘o’. His body went rigged, and he stopped breathing. The Dark Lord could have laughed, had he not been equally disturbed by the reaction. The child watched him, waiting for something.

“ _He smells like human. Stinky human._ ” The snake hissed back, not perturbed by the scene. Harry’s shocked gaze had melted and a look of absolute delight replaced it. The head of the snake came into view around the corner of the chair, and the toddler squealed again.

“Stinky!” He screamed, then started to bounce in place. His knees trying their best to hold him up without much support. It was the Dark Lord's turn to be shocked because the boy had understood Nagini. He hadn’t spoken parseltongue back, but he had repeated a word she had spoken. 

The boy could speak the language of snakes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] It’s a simple phrase in Latin that means “Summoned body, return in thee”. There isn’t much about the actual Rudimentary body potion, so I threw some stuff together! 
> 
> NAGINI ;U;


	4. What is Harry's Secret?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just wrote this whole thing in two hours with only an energy drink and the blood in my veins, don't hate me. Also, this is unbeta'd so there may be mistakes. I usually come back and edit chapters later on. Hope you enjoy it!

**December 30th, 1981 Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton - Continuation**

The atmosphere changed so many times in the last couple of minutes, that Bellatrix had no idea how she should feel. She was usually good enough to read a room, yet she was perplexed on how to feel about the look of absolute delight that seemed to spread across the Dark Lord’s face. One moment Harry was being Harry and the Dark Lord was seemingly stunned into silence, then the next moment her lord began to rapidly hiss… but it wasn’t towards his snake.

“Absolutely fascinating… I hadn’t thought..” Voldemort’s expression changed to contemplative once again. “He couldn’t possibly be part of the bloodline.” Harry’s eyes were glued to Voldemort as the man talked. 

“My Lord?” Bellatrix started quietly, her confusion must have been written all over her face, and her voice had apparently reminded Lord Voldemort that he and Harry were in fact not the only two in the room.

“Ah, yes. Dear Bella,” A set of red eyes flicked over to meet the woman's gaze. “It appears that plans will need to be changed.”

“Plans, my Lord?” Bellatrix inquired, feeling very lost in the one-sided conversation. The Dark Lord took no mind to her ignorance, and instead fixed his gaze on the child once more. Harry wrinkled his nose and reached out to touch Voldemort's hand again. The man did not pull away, nor did he seem to be uncomfortable with the contact in the slightest. Instead, his face stretched into a smile that reminded Bellatrix of the word “victory”.

“It would seem that fate has given Lord Voldemort a gift.”

**January 13th, 1982 Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton**

The preparations for the Dark Lord’s full return had obviously been prioritized, every person had a role to play, and a task to complete. The twins were assigned to grab the bones of Voldemort’s father, which was an easy task in itself. They had been extremely close by, and the graveyard was usually empty. Rabastian was quite disappointed that the two hadn’t run into any muggles during their short trip.

Barty was the one who prepared the cauldron once again, hacked the grass, removed the snow, and created the best environment possible for the regeneration potion. He had also added to the potion, properties that he knew would heighten the potion and its finished results. With the snake, Nagini, at his disposal, he had enough venom to do test trials to see if the properties would enhance or weaken the Dark Lord’s new form. It had already been used for the rudimentary body potion. Barty had a sneaking suspicion it may do some good. He was even given a few vials of the snake's venom to do with as he pleased because of the good mood of the Dark Lord. 

Wormtail had surprisingly begged the Dark Lord to allow him to be the sacrifice. He had pleaded, wished to show his complete and utter allegiance. There was no one more willing, thus he was the perfect fit. Bellatrix was both relieved and also peeved that she wouldn’t be the one to give herself to the Dark Lord. She badly wished to serve him, yet parts of her were grateful that she would be keeping her limb.

Bellatrix was tasked with finding a suitable enemy, she wanted it to be symbolic. She couldn’t just choose anyone, and she had a few wizards in mind. They were all part of the old fool’s club, the fire chickens. How fitting it would be that someone whose entire goal was to eradicate the Dark Lord, be the reason he walked among them again? The most obvious choice would have been the Potter’s, but being as they had already fallen, that was nulled. However, there had been another family. The Potter’s and the Longbottom’s had both been part of the Order, and both sets of parents had narrowly escaped Voldemort three times. Making the Longbottom’s the best second choice. They only needed one wizard technically, but Bellatrix was nothing if not a pleaser. She would have them both, and Barty even agreed that it may strengthen the potion.

While the potion and its ingredients were seen to, the Dark Lord was resting. When he wasn’t resting, he was experimenting. Experimenting and researching. This also included babysitting. It had worked out perfectly fine as long as someone came around to feed the toddler and change him. Other than that Voldemort was certainly able to care for and watch the child. It wasn’t out of the goodness of his heart, nor was it to be helpful. At least not to the others. No, having the Potter boy there was the reason he had been busy with experiments and research. In the past two weeks or so, he had been able to conclude that no, the Potter boy didn’t inherit parseltongue through his genes. He had also been successful in making the boy speak the snake's tongue. It wasn’t too tough, the child simply needed to hear the Dark Lord say it first, then he would repeat it. 

Voldemort would daresay that Harry picked up Parseltongue quicker than the English language. He certainly understood it better. 

Without his full range of magic, Voldemort could do little in ways to figure out the scar and its own puzzles. He had an inkling about it being a Horcrux, yet the boy did not feel as a Horcrux did. He had tried to tap into the boy's mind, but the efforts exhausted him. He was impatient and itching to know. But the prison of his incomplete body kept him at bay. 

“Dini!” Harry screamed, making the Dark Lord jerk violently out of his ruminating. The small man glared to his right side, where the child had been. He was holding onto Nagini, gripped onto her tail as she grumbled. If snakes could pout, she would have been for the past two weeks. She tried to slither away, but Harry was making it difficult while he clung to her with all of his small might. She hissed, but it did nothing to quell the boy's excitement. Nothing seemed to these days.

“ _Master… I wish to eat him,_ ” Nagini stated, flicking her tail, causing Harry’s hair to bounce without regard as he was shifted side to side.

“ _No, eat!_ ” Harry exclaimed, finally letting go of the poor snake. He wagged his little finger as Bellatrix would do when he was being bad. 

“ _He would give you a stomach ache._ ” The man hissed back dryly before picking his notebook up. He decided to reread the last entry of observations. 

“ _Story?_ ” Came the small voice, closer than before. Peering over the top of his book, the Dark Lord came face to face with the little nightmare. He didn’t realize Harry could move that fast, and so quietly. The green eyes gazed at him, his small face set with curiosity. Some days the green eyes unsettled him, it felt as if they stared into his soul. Seeing something inside of him that he himself had yet to see. It was an uncomfortable feeling. The eyes that looked at him now reminded him of his life when he was in the orphanage. The other children often had the look, when they were asking for second helpings, or to share a bed in the cold winter. Voldemort hummed loudly.

“ _Well, this isn’t a storybook. On the contrary, it's a book about you, about all the small insignificant things you do and say. But... also about the amazing and impossible things as well. I’m not sure you’d appreciate it._ ” Voldemort stated and Harry’s eyebrows furrowed. They seemed to dip even further when Voldemort simply stared back at the child, not offering any more than that. The toddler's eyes narrowed, his small fists clenching. It was an early sign of an episode and the Dark Lord would rather not deal with a temper tantrum. Maybe he was getting soft...

Voldemort sighed while closing the notebook and placing it beside him. Harry’s eyes followed his every move, only moving back up to his face once he was settled with his hands resting in his open lap. He hadn’t known many stories to tell children. The one’s he grew up with was absolute nonsense, and he refused to tell the boy about Father Winter, or even worse, the tooth fairy. There was one, however, the very first story he had heard while in the wizarding world as a child himself. 

“ _The Tale of the Three Brothers,_ ” he began, Harry’s response was to clap and promptly fall back onto his bottom. His mood was drastically different, now that he was getting what he wanted. Voldemort cleared his throat and tried to remember what he could about the story. 

“ _There were once three brothers…_ ”

**February 1st, 1982 Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton**

Today was the day. Magic hung in the air, as did excitement. Anticipation coated the tongues of the devoted followers. The same could not be said about the two captives held prisoner. Frank and Alice Longbottom laid terrified, hearts pounding so loud that they could barely hear what the dark wizards were saying. Of course, both put on a brave face, but it was easy to dissect the situation. Looking around, one could only assume the worst. Voldemort’s right-hand witch was present and looking happier than she had ever been. Her husband and brother-in-law were also in a joyous mood. Barty’s participation meant little to them, but he looked tired. 

In the middle of the scene stood a tall, and intimidating cauldron. One of the largest Alice had ever seen. Circling the pot, was the biggest snake she had ever laid her eyes on. There was no doubt that this had to do with Lord Voldemort. The only question in the light wizards’ minds was, where was the guest of honor? Alice and Frank had known it was too good to be true when told that the Dark Lord was defeated. Yet he was not here among them. 

The Longbottom’s could do nothing but look at each other, and hope.

Someone should have told them that hope is a fickle thing.

After what seemed like an eternity, something was finally happening. Barty cast a Tempus and nodded. Apparently deeming it time. Bellatrix cackled excitedly while throwing her head back. This gave her a wild look, resembling a hyena. Her red lipstick had rubbed off onto her teeth, and her hair was ever the nest. Her eyes were what scared Alice however. Those eyes were the kind that looked at others and either saw something worthy in someone or immediately they were cast aside useless. Disposable. That’s what the Longbottom’s were at his moment. At her disposal.

Their only solace was that the dark wizards had no interest in their son.

“The sun is in a perfect spot, let’s hurry.” Young Barty stated, running his hand through his hair. One of the twins nodded and left the group. He walked back towards the large building that lay behind them.

“Everything is going to be fine, Barty.” Bellatrix hummed, placing her hand on her hip. She took out her wand and twirled it innocently. Even though none of her attention was directed to the Longbottom’s, they both still flinched.

“Look,” The teen started. “We only have so much time, the window of opportunity is two fingers.” As a demonstration, Barty held up his hand. His pointer and middle finger were held in a salute position, and he aligned them with the bottom of the sun. “Imbolc is new beginnings, the beginning of spring. The most powerful time is two hours after the sun begins to set.”

“So we still have two hours to get this done?” Bellatrix asked slowly. At Barty’s nod, she rolled her eyes. “You Ravenclaws are all the same, deadline this, deadline that.” The teen sputtered. Before he could even think to retaliate the crunch of feet on snow stopped him. All heads turned towards Rabastian, who carried a small bundle in his arms carefully. To Frank and Alice’s disbelief, Peter Pettigrew trailed closely behind. Unlike them, he was free. The betrayal sat heavy in Frank’s gut, and Alice could feel herself sink into the ground further. Neither was expecting such treachery.

“My Lord!” Both Bellatrix and Barty called, they bowed in unison, and it immediately ticked Bellatrix off. Right before coming up from their bow, she elbowed the teen in his side. This caused him to double back down, allowing the witch to be the first to rise fully. She tried her very best not to laugh at the sound Barty had made. Rodolphus had done his own respectful bow, ignoring the other two.

All the commotion confused the two captives, Frank was eyeballing Rabastian, but Alice caught on quicker. Her attention was held by the figure in the man's arms. Said bundle moved slightly, and Alice couldn't stop the shiver that ran through her body as a small pale skeletal hand reached out, accompanied by a raspy, yet recognizable voice.

“Let us start.” 

“Of course My Lord.” Barty coughed out. He sent a short look to Bellatrix while he rubbed his side before giving the orders. Bellatrix on the other hand took Voldemort's rudimentary body from Rabastian. She never trusted anyone else to hold him right. She knew he secretly liked it when it was her anyway. Not that she would ever be so bold to claim it in front of him. “Into the cauldron Bella,” Barty instructed. The woman carefully walked over to the large pot. Inside was already filled with boiling water, crushed peony petals three drops of Nagini’s venom, and the lining was thickly coated with a paste made from the stems of freshly grown daffodils. It smelled lovely. 

She laid her arms over the water, yet kept from touching the potion. She released her grip on the bundle, carefully pulling away from the fabric so it too would not touch the water. The sound of the Dark Lord falling in was something she did not enjoy.

Taking a step back, Barty took her place. He held his wand and began the sayings. 

“Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son!”[1] With a flick of his wand, the bones collected that lay on a table found themselves suspended and dropped into the cauldron. ”Flesh of the servant, willingly sacrificed, you will revive your master.” On cue, Wormtail stepped forward. As cowardly as he was, he hadn’t shied away, neither did he look frightened. Instead, he held his bare arm out over the cauldron. Rabastian was the one to do the honors of chopping the limb from his body. It had to be done with a knife made of iron and mild steel. Bellatrix found sick pleasure in the sound of the forearm being dropped into the potion, accompanied by the cries of the rat. Rodolphus followed closely behind his brother, to drag the pained Peter away, and administer what healing he could.

Up until this point, Alice and Frank were speechless. Not only because they were gagged, but also because they had never seen anything like this. But as Barty’s next line came out, the two knew it was now or never to fight. 

“Blood of the enemy, forcibly taken, you will resurrect your foe.” Bellatrix turned slowly towards the two wizards on the ground. Her brother-in-law followed her stead. They approached the two. Alice refused to cry, and Frank stood his ground as much as a tied up man could. 

“Oh don’t worry, it isn’t going to hurt…” The witch cooed as she got closer, walking like a predator, slowly. “We don’t even need that much.” She offered as she withdrew a hidden dagger. She reached for Alice’s head, and Alice screamed through her gag as Bellatrix gripped harshly into her hair. Her head was yanked to the side, and she was thrown to her back. Bellatrix stepped over her, and practically sat on her lap. She took the dagger and pierced the thin skin along her wrist area, dragging it to create a wound that was much bigger than needed. Once the blood started to flow, Bellatrix held the knife along the cut, allowing it to pool alongside the edge. 

Rabastian had made less of a show about it, but he got his part done as well. With both daggers coated, Bellatrix and Rabastian took their loot towards the cauldron. Barty accepted both and held the weapons over the cauldron. They needed the blood, but not the metal. The teen watched in wonder as the blood trailed off of the daggers, and fell drop by drop into the pot. The moment the blood hit the waters, it turned a crimson red. Barty took a hasty step back, all others followed.

The cauldron began to glow as if being heated so profusely that the metal itself was warping. The mixture inside the cauldron took spark, and an active fire growled to life. A wave of hot air exploded from the area, causing all around to shield their eyes for a moment. The fire grew and meld with the cauldron all together. It began to bubble, moving like skin would when using polyjuice. It bubbled, twirled, and burned. Then it started to take shape. Elongating itself. The sphere lifting off the ground and becoming more of a column. The red took on a blinding white, and light encased the conglomeration. It was as if one was staring directly into the sun. 

A break in the light revealed an arm, one reaching out. It grabbed hold onto other parts of the light and began to tear them away. It was impossible to look away from. Another arm was revealed, a torso as well. Before much else could happen, the light suddenly faded and turned into ash. It became black sand that hung into the air as if stuck with a spell. Inside the floating orb of ash stood a man.

Red eyes opened, and the ash completely disintegrated. Falling from its suspended home to the ground where it disappeared.

The air was thick, yet quiet. No one dared make a noise while the Dark Lord inspected his body. He held his hands up, turning this way and that. He carefully observed his own Dark Mark, it was more black than anything Bellatrix had ever seen. Every follower kneeled silently.

“I do believe that everything is in order, Bartemius.” Lord Voldemort stated, turn around to face his followers. Barty finally allowed himself to breathe and remembered that the Dark Lord needed to be clothed. He nodded and stood from his position. He took the robe that was carefully selected from its podium and approached his master with it. The man allowed him to place the robe over his shoulders. Once dressed, it was easier to breathe. “My wand?” The man drawled. 

“Here, my Lord.” Bellatrix breathlessly whispered while looking up, meeting her Lord’s gaze. He looked like he did before, even better. His hair has regained its color, now back to its deep black. His hollow and sunken eyes were now rested, youthful even. His skin that was once so pale now glowed with renewed vigor. It was like looking at a god. She took the Dark Lord’s wand from her sleeve and held it out with both her hands. She held it as if it were precious as if it would break with the slightest bit of pressure. She then walked towards Voldemort, who held an expression of fondness.

“Bella.” He greeted warmly before he plucked the wand from her sharp hands. 

It was hard to describe. The feeling one has after not holding their wand after so long. It was akin to coming home, to be complete. His magic danced beyond his fingertips and filled the wood. He felt unstoppable. He felt… angry. Why had his wand backfired on him, when he needed it the most? Why had his spell work reversed, taking his own life? Was he not its master? Was it not to do his bidding, and his alone? What made Harry Potter so special?

“ _Master?_ ” Nagini hissed, uncertain. It broke him out of his ponderings, and he bent down to stroke the scales of his companion, hushing her before standing up straight. His eyes caught on Alice Longbottom’s and he stood. He raised his arms in a dramatic gesture. 

“How rude of me.” The Dark Lord exclaimed loudly. “I forgot to welcome our guests personally.” He threw a charming smile onwards, his eyes shining bright. He allowed his arms to fall and stalked towards the couple. “Alice and Frank,” he stated. “I’d say that I’m happy to see you two, but I’m not much of a liar. You see,” He held up a finger to his mouth as if telling a secret. “That’s dear Albus’ instrument. I’d prefer the truth, as nasty as it can be.” He goaded. Alice glared, and Frank began to fight his ropes.

With a wave of his hand, the gags on the Longbottom’s mouth removed themselves. Without hesitation, Frank yelled.

“You’re nothing but a murderer! How dare you even compare yourself to Albus Dumbledore!” Frank paused to take a breath, intent on continuing his rant. Before another word could leave his mouth, however, a flash of green left the hand of Lord Voldemort. It slammed so violently into the wizard's body, that it caused the corpse to literally jolt in place and tumble closer to his still-living wife. 

“No!” Alice cried, trying to turn her head to get a glimpse at her husband. “You monster! All of you, monsters!” She wailed. Voldemort simply hummed in response.

“Even though you’ve said such terrible, terrible things …” He held his wand tightly in his hand and paced. “I decided that you’ll get a swift death. Due to your recent grief, I suppose it can be overlooked.” He paused his pacing to look down at the two bodies. 

“I don’t want your mercy. ” Alice gritted out, now openly glaring at the Dark Lord through her tears.

“Ah…” The Dark Lord hummed again, making it a show to crouch down and turn his head and look at Bellatrix. “I think you should.” He whispered. Bellatrix was brimming with excitement. She was bouncing in place, anticipation. She wanted to play. Alice was already pale from her blood loss, but she paled further at the sight of the crazed witch. “I must let you know that I feel extremely hurt.” Voldemort feigned being wounded, holding his heart. “I offered you a gift, and you threw it into my face.” The raven-haired man stood once again, he began to turn from the witch on the ground.

“Not like this...” Alice wept. Voldemort looked once again down at her.

“Beg.” He said simply. Alice pursed her lips, her eyes darted to Bellatrix and then back again to Voldemort. She closed her eyes, it was a telling sign of defeat.

“Please.” She whispered, keeping her eyes closed. The Dark Lord raised his wand again, and for the second time that night, the killing curse took its victim.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It might be a little confusing, but Alice and Frank were not tortured to insanity. Bellatrix had not run to them and blamed them for her Lord's disappearance, instead, she had obviously gone to the Potter’s and followed where baby Harry went. They still don’t really get a happy ending. Sorry, Neville ;-; 
> 
> Also, yay sexy Voldemort.
> 
> [1] The lines are a direct quote from the Harry Potter franchise. I don’t own them. (But I have someone way cooler saying them)
> 
> That ended on a dark note. Sorry I’ve been away for so long. Mental issues and shit. I’m crazy, didn’t you hear? I also spilled tea on my keyboard and had to save up money to buy another one because the whole top row of letters didn't work. Have you ever tried to type something without qwertyuiop? It's not fun.


	5. Expectations and Revelations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mind the time skips, I wrote the dates and how far along from the previous timestamp they would be!
> 
> Hope you enjoy <3

**February 2nd, 1982 Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton**

Harry Potter stared at the Dark Lord, and the Dark Lord stared back at him. Unflinching. The whole scene was nerve-wracking for Bellatrix, who stood at the side of the room observing. The toddler finally broke eye contact and looked over to the witch. He seemed to be perplexed on what to do, his expression shifting towards frustration. His pink bottom lip stuck out.

“There's no need to be frightened,” Voldemort spoke softly into the room. Harry’s small feature’s jerked, his attention back on the strange man in front of him. The Dark Lord tried again, switching to parseltongue. _“We’ve already met.”_ He offered. The child’s eyes widened with recognition, and his nervous demeanor melted away leaving only a gapped tooth smile that practically split the boy's face into two.

He clapped his hands and began to walk towards the Dark Lord. He walked right up to the man fearlessly, his little arms stretched out the entire way. Voldemort had to force himself to stay still because he wouldn't allow himself to back away from a child. Harry got close enough to grip onto Voldemort’s newly acquired dress pants, he did so and looked up expectantly before raising his arms. He wished to be held.

Red eyes looked into green, and Harry continued to smile as he flexed his fingers impatiently.

Voldemort grimaced slightly, yet complied only after a short moment when he realized that this was going to happen whether he wanted it to or not. 

The tall man crouched down elegantly, leveling himself to the child. Harry took this opportunity to latch onto his shirt instead, he tried using what little strength he had to pull himself up. Voldemort stood then, moving his arms to support the child. He held Harry by the underarms and distanced the baby away from him. Bellatrix snorted before she could stop herself.

The grown man glared in her direction, but it had no heat behind it. 

Voldemort held Harry away from his body as if he smelt bad and Harry was still trying to hold onto him as if his life depended on it.

Bellatrix was stuck between feeling like she could faint, or have an early heart attack. The Dark Lord holding Harry Potter had to have been the cutest fucking thing she had ever seen in her entire life. Regardless of how awkward and uncomfortable the scene was.

“My Lord, if I may?” Bella offered, biting her lip to stifle the cackle that threatened to ascend from her throat. She was granted a curt nod, and the witch made her way towards the wary looking man. She hummed loudly before manipulating the hold Voldemort had on Harry. She pushed the toddler against him and pulled the Dark Lord's arm around to support the baby’s back, instead of his underarms. 

The final position looked much closer to how Bellatrix would hold Harry on her hip, albeit more stiff. 

The Dark Lord continued to look wary, and Harry continued to stare at the man as if he’d never found anything so intriguing.

“Ah, I suppose this will do,” Voldemort murmured, and Bellatrix silently praised herself. She watched as the Dark Lord tested the new hold gingerly and it dawned on her that the man was holding Harry as if he would shatter with too much pressure.

The Dark Lord looked to Harry, his eyes taking in the small child. He scrutinized the boy's messy locks before his gaze moved to linger on his forehead. He used his free hand to reach up and brush away all the hair that blocked his view of the fresh-looking scar. He paid no mind to the toddler as he shifted in his grasp, nor how Harry’s eyes went cross following his limb.

Tom’s fingers barely had to graze the lifted skin before he knew. 

With his body whole, and his magic fully restored, he could without a doubt confirm Harry’s role as a Horcrux.

“That is... fascinating,” He began running his finger over the entirety of the scar. It felt like some sort of magnetic attraction, his skin drawn and giving resistance when he pulled away. The Dark Lord supposed this was the soul piece in Harry trying to merge back with him through a barrier. Harry hadn’t reacted other than watching, his eyes staying cross. Voldemort wondered if perhaps the young Potter was too small and simply not reacting, or if he didn’t feel anything.

The Dark Lord pulled his hand away, and Harry sighed loudly. Voldemort stilled for a second, wondering if such an odd sound was natural for such a young soul.

“However, could you be tired already? Had you not just awoken half-hour ago?” He chided lightly. Harry merely lifted a small fist and rubbed at his eye. A second later a low rumbling could be heard, and Voldemort almost threw the child, startled.

“Ah yes, he’ll need some breakfast!” She nodded, reaching out as Voldemort sharply deposited the toddler into her arms. 

“Feed him,” He demanded. “Then bring him back to my study.” The Dark Lord then without another word turned and left the room. Harry struggled in Bella’s grip, but she held him securely. He turned to look at his guardian and dramatically stuck out his bottom lip. 

“Don’t fuss, wittle baby,” She rubbed her nose into his hair, smiling as Harry grunted, he tried to wiggle from her grasp. “You’ll get to see him as soon as you finish eating. Isn’t that exciting?” She asked, once again needing to adjust her hold as Harry tried to go limp in attempts to be put down. “My silly boy, let’s go get some food hmm?”

**August 13th, 1984 Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton**

**2 Years Later**

“Harry Potter!” Barty shouted, his finger pointed towards a small figure bent over. “You put that poisonous frog down right now or I’ll turn you into a ferret!”

“No!” Harry squealed excitedly. He quickly stood from the edge of the pond and started running as fast as his legs would go. He almost slipped on the ground, his muddy feet not giving him the best traction. The four-year-old gripped onto the small creature in his hand and bee-lined it to tall grass. He was careful not to hold too tight though, or he might pop its head off. That’s what Papa Rodolphus told him.

His uncle Barty was hot on his trail, and although Harry was fast, he still wasn’t fast enough to get away from the adults. He just needed to get to the tall grass where he could hide. Luckily Harry was taught not to rely on only one tool. If there were two things Harry was, it was fast and _unpredictable_.

The tall wizard huffed loudly, and Harry knew he was mere feet from him. The split moment before Barty could grab onto Harry’s jumper, the young boy belted out a battle cry and chucked the poisonous frog behind him with no regard. 

It sailed right over his shoulder, directly onto Barty’s face.

The sound that came from his Uncle made Harry ‘whoop’ loudly, he had hit the target. Barty Crouch Jr. cried out in shock, a sound that reminded him of Saturday cartoon characters. 

The young man was down for the count as he too had muddy feet, and when he jerked back in surprise at the assault he lost his footing. His feet both came right out from under him, and he landed harshly on his back.

Harry threw his arms up and gave another battle cry before he raced into the grass. Harry’s body hit the foliage with a loud slap and all went silent. The moment he ducked down into the grass he became invisible. He was practically unfindable without the use of magic.

“You little-” Barty sputtered, trying to catch his breath while wiping off the mucus left on his face from the poor helpless frog. The little amphibian had landed directly on his forehead but must have hopped away as Barty fell. The man stood up as fast as he could, ignoring how his entire backside was now covered in mud.

He would surely be made fun of once back in the house.

It seemed that whenever he was the one tasked with watching Harry, things always ended up like this. With Barty covered in something, injured, annoyed, usually all of the above. 

Bellatrix said it was because Barty was the youngest, and so Harry found it more fun to play with him. Barty thought it wrong to call it playing at all, it was more like torture. He was glad to never have had siblings, and would never in this lifetime have children.

Barty walked towards the grassy hideaway and crossed his arms. 

“Mr. Potter,” He stated loudly, trying to sound like a Hogwarts professor. “If you don’t come out in the next five seconds, I’m going to take twenty points away from Slytherin.” He threatened. Harry giggled somewhere to the left. “Fifty points!” He shouted, again he was met with quiet snickering.

“I don’t wanna be Slytherin, I wanna be a Ravenclaw like you!” Harry shouted, now somewhere in the middle.

“There’s absolutely no way you’re smart enough for Ravenclaw,” Barty stated easily. There was a rustle to the right side, and Barty stealthily took out his wand. “You don’t even like to read, you get Bella to read to you, like a baby.” He accused, turning his body slightly to the side.

“That’s rude!” Harry cried out, jumping from the grass. Apparently, he was intent on taking Barty for a surprise. Unfortunately, the man was ready for it. Barty pointed his wand and curved his wrist.

“Accio Harry’s jumper.” He spelled, and the look on Harry Potter's face was priceless.

The young boy's green top pulled forward, pulling Harry’s entire body with it. He was hauled straight into Bartys expecting arms. Barty barked out a laugh and hugged Harry closer to him, he ruffled his hair roughly as Harry got his bearings. The raven-haired boy looked up to his uncle, his face one of utter defeat and betrayal.

“That was unjustifiable!” He shouted before he began to repeatedly hit the taller man’s stomach with his fists. Barty was unfazed.

“That’s a big word for a baby.” He countered, using his free hand to comb through Harry’s damp hair. The boy ceased his physical assault and glared at Barty, his face flushed.

“I learned it from Our Lord,” He asserted before muttering. “And I’m not a baby.” Harry pouted, sending one last glare at Barty before shoving his face into the Ravenclaw’s shirt.

“You’ll always be a baby to me.” Barty offered, smiling down at Harry as he tried to burrow his way closer into him. “Bellatrix too,” he uttered. “Imagine the earful you’re gonna get for being so dirty, again.”

“She’s going to make me bathe again,” He whined, his voice muffled. “I just had one yesterday.” He sniffed finally coming out from his fabric embrace. 

“Not to mention how mad Rodolphus is going to be when he hears you’ve been bothering the wildlife again.”

“You can’t tell him!” Harry exclaimed, gripping onto Barty fiercely. “I didn’t hurt it!” “He shouted, his eyebrows furrowed. Harry’s mouth opened and closed multiple times before he murmured a moment later. “At least I don't think I did.” Barty barked out a laugh, ruffing up Harry's nest of hair again. 

“The only thing you hurt was my pride, don’t worry about it.” He assured, shivering as the wind blew at his damp backside. “Let’s head inside, yeah? It's starting to get chilly.”

“Carry me,” Harry demanded, shoving his face into Barty once again. The young man snorted loudly.

_ “As if.” _

* * *

Bartemius trudged through Riddle manor with Harry Potter perched on his back. The child's arms were wrapped around his neck, and legs around his waist. Harry seemingly didn’t mind all of the mud that was now caked on his front from Barty’s back. The boy didn’t mind any kind of dirt, frankly.

“Onwards my noble steed!” Harry’s voice rang, loud enough that anyone in the vicinity would have heard it. It was quite common these days, however, to hear Harry say something absurd. During one winter, when it was much too cold to allow Harry outside, he played by himself in one of the small tea rooms. Rabastan and Rodolphus had happened to walk by just as Harry had loudly announced:

_ “I’ll burn you up so I can keep your ashes forever.” _

When asked later about it, Harry shrugged and told them that he was just playing house.

_“I was the mommy, but you wouldn't understand.”_ He had said solemnly, moving the peas around on his plate. 

Neither Bellatrix nor the Dark Lord seemed to think anything wrong with it. The rest of the house's occupants were thoroughly creeped out, and Harry was watched extra close around any uncontrolled fires.

Barty hoisted Harry up further, making the child laugh gleefully. He walked down the hall to the stairs where he took a quick left, intent on throwing Harry straight into a bath. His path was blocked before he could make it to his desired location. Barty’s gaze met crimson eyes, and he bowed as much as he could with Harry still attached to him.

With his body bowed down, Harry was practically face-to-face with the Dark Lord. The young boy gave his Lord a cheeky smile.

“My Lord.” Barty greeted as Voldemort took in the sight of the two extremely dirty wizards who had traipsed through his manor.

“Please tell me why you insist on harassing Bartemius, Harry.” The Dark Lord sighed out slowly crossing his arms.

“He’s my most loyal companion,” Was the quick reply, Harry shifted and pointed to the ceiling before declaring loudly, “We travel through thick and thin and our adventures are glamorous!”

“I think you mean glorious, Harry.” Barty corrected while trying to suppress his laughter.

“That too.” Harry agreed, nodding fervently.

“Glamorous indeed.” The Dark Lord warily eyed the two, his eyes glancing behind to where they had come from. “Be glad the house-elves clean your messes, or I’d have made you clean it yourself, perhaps with your toothbrushes.”

Barty felt blood rush to his face, but he nodded. Harry however gasped, indignant. 

“You wouldn't!” Harry exclaimed. Voldemort raised his eyebrow in response, and Harry hugged Barty around his neck once again. “You like us too much.” He cheekily asserted before hugging Barty tightly. “Right, Barty?”

The Dark Lord’s eyes were on the brunette now, and Barty felt pale.

“I’m in no position to say what our Lord would and wouldn't do, Harry,” Barty explained, opting for the safe route. As childish as it seemed, Harry pouted, and the Dark Lord looked victorious. 

“You always choose his side,” Harry whined, wiggling around and unlatching himself from the young man. Barty crouched for him, allowing his feet to land softly on the floor beneath. Voldemort watched their transaction with an almost fond expression.

“As he should.” The Dark Lord spoke firmly, nodding once. Harry narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms before his face morphed into pure mischief. He began side-eyeing Barty like he knew a secret.

“It’s only because he _loves_ -” Harry began loudly but Barty slapped his hand over the boy’s mouth before he could finish. 

“If you would excuse us, My Lord. I think Harry needs to take his bath.” The brunette rushed out, his face taking on the same color as the Dark Lord’s eyes now. Harry tried to squirm away, but Barty held on, even when Harry licked his hand. Voldemort’s eyes shone with amusement, but he inclined his head, permitting their leave. 

Harry squealed loudly as Barty uncupped his mouth and lifted him by his side, carrying him so he was parallel to the floor like luggage. He began to walk and Voldemort cleared his throat quietly.

“Bartemius,” He started, and the brunette's gaze met the Dark Lord. “Come to my study after dinner.” It was a soft request, not a command.

“Of course, My Lord.” Barty ducked his head down, his ears on fire. He hoisted Harry up again and continued walking, refusing to look back.

Harry laughed breathlessly, kicking his legs as they passed by. In between the young boy’s gasps of air, he began singing. 

“Barty and the Dark Lord sitting in a tree-aha!” Barty walked faster and tried to cover the young boy's mouth. Unfortunately, the position wasn’t in his favor and Harry continued his verbal assault. His loud voice could be heard all the way down the hall and even further.

_ “K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” _

**May 15th, 1985 Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton**

**9 Months Later**

“Can you tell me more about Hogwarts?” Harry whispered, peeking slyly over the Dark Lords desk. His black hair was especially unruly today, and Bellatrix broke two combs that morning trying to tame it. She had given up after transfiguring the second. 

Voldemort leaned forward in his chair, placing his head into his hands. He looked as if he was considering the request, but both Harry and he knew he would give in. Even though Harry was currently supposed to be sitting quietly and completing his readings, the boy always had a knack for disrupting, especially when it involved Voldemort.

Harry had become a soft-spot for the Dark Lord. _It was troublesome._

“What would you like to hear about?” Voldemort asked. He tried to ignore the swell of joy that surged through him when Harry’s smile grew much too large for his face. 

“The moving pictures!” He excitedly shouted, then immediately shook his head. “No, wait,” He furrowed his eyebrows while in thought. A moment later he stood up straight and once again offered an idea. “Maybe about the houses some more? Or the ghosts… You still haven’t told me how they all died yet.” Harry bit out, tone bordering on accusing. “Oh! I want to know about the thing in the lake! Uncle Barty said there was a monster, but he wouldn’t tell me about it.”

Harry opened his mouth and drew in a big breath. 

Lord Voldemort learned to never underestimate the endless curiosity instilled in the boy, so before he could continue Voldemort held his hand up, silencing the words before they came to fruition.

“How does this sound...” the Dark Lord leaned back in his chair. “If you can finish your readings for the day, I will spend two entire hours answering any questions you have regarding Hogwarts.” He offered casually as he crossed his leg over the other.

“Really?” Harry asked, his face so open with hope that Voldemort couldn’t possibly take back the offer now.

“Of course.” He replied, and that was enough for Harry as he was diligently back in his chair. The almost five-year-old kicked his legs excitedly, and he was practically bouncing in his chair as he started to read his book. He tried his best to concentrate, but he couldn't stop thinking about all the questions the Dark Lord was going to answer.

If one asked for his opinion, Harry Potter would say that he had the best family in the world.

**July 31st, 1986 Riddle Manor, Little Hangleton**

**A Year Later**

_Harry Potter was running away._ He was going to pack up his clothes and his toy and leave forever. He was going to go to a place where no one would find him and he’d live all by himself. No stinky adults, no stinky snakes, and no stinky Dark Lords.

The six-year-old wiped away at a falling tear angrily. He sniffed and continued to shove his socks into the small knapsack. He stuffed the small bag as full as he could, and tried his hardest to close it. His hands were shaking and his head hurt.

Mostly his heart ached.

That morning he had woken up excited, ready for the day. It was his birthday and all his birthdays were great. He’d get to spend time with everyone, he’d get presents, and even the Dark Lord would eat cake for him. Lord Voldemort hated sweets.

But he’d do it for him.

Harry thought he’d always have them on his side. 

Apparently _not._

For some reason, everyone was extremely busy that morning, and Harry barely got a few glances his way. They had brought in a bunch of new people that winter, more of His Lord’s followers, so there was always a Death eater around. Not that many of the Death eater’s would acknowledge him. Instead, they seemed to avoid him, it was like they were afraid of him.

The manor was becoming less of a home, and more of a base. 

Harry hadn’t minded much until recently.

If being practically ignored on his birthday wasn’t bad enough, Bellatrix had been sent on a mission that night. No one would tell him when she’d be back. Barty was nowhere to be found either, and the Dark Lord shooed him away when he knocked on his study door, there was an important meeting. Or so they say.

Overall the day hadn’t gone to plan.

What really took the cake, was when Harry stumbled on some Death Eaters talking about him. Of course, Harry had to eavesdrop, it was about him, wasn’t it? He had every right to hear what they had to say, and he needed to work on his ninja skills anyway.

He stealthily crept towards the room where he heard his name, and the conversation that took place was something that shook Harry to his core.

There were at least four of the Dark Lord’s followers, two had their backs to the door. They were arguing, and it was because of Harry.

“I don’t understand why he’s alive!” A witch said, shrilly, Harry hated her voice immediately. A big man with a low growly voice grumbled.

“He’s the enemy, why would they keep him here? They gotta have dungeons or somethin’,” One of the men with his back to Harry nodded. Harry himself didn’t understand what the group was going on about. He wasn’t an enemy, this was his home! If anything, the annoying lady should go to the dungeons so no one would have to hear her voice anymore.

“He’s just a kid, perhaps they’re waiting for the complete take over before killing him?” Came a mousey voice, it reminded Harry of Wormtail.

The words ‘Complete Takeover’ made no sense to Harry, but he didn’t like the sound of it. Who was going to kill him? Why were they going to kill him? He hadn’t done anything! What were they taking over?

“You might be right, do it in front of everyone. Let Dumbledore watch.” The witch agreed, Harry imagined her smile looked as nasty as she sounded. He was lost in the context, he wanted to ask who Dumbledore was and why he mattered.

“Hah, that’s so cruel…” The fourth voice joined in, it was smooth. A voice made of velvet.

“What is?” 

“Raising a child like a pig for slaughter. No wonder they let him get away with everything, nothing regarding him will matter after he’s dead.”

The conversation quieted down after that, and all Harry knew was that there was a room where four people wished he was dead. And he had no idea why.

It wasn’t that Harry didn’t know anything, but it seemed he was being kept in the dark about the most important stuff. Could this have to do with his life before Bellatrix saved him?

She never got into the details, but he knew that she saved him from a fate worse than death and that they were his new, better family. At least, that was what he was told. Maybe he had been saved from the enemy and raised here with them instead. Were the parents he never knew the enemy? He didn’t even know if they were alive. He never wanted to know, he didn’t need to know. He never cared much about the subject.

But now, Harry was beginning to think that he probably should have asked.

Would they have even told him the truth though? Harry couldn't stop thinking about the words the adult used, and he was afraid.

What if what they said was true? What if he really wasn’t special, and instead they were going to get rid of him soon? Harry couldn't deal with that. Perhaps they never really cared about him, if they did wouldn't they have told him more? They really must not have cared. If today didn’t prove that, then Harry didn’t know what would. They forgot his birthday, they lied and kept secrets from him, and to top it all off they made him eat all his vegetables! 

Who made someone _eat vegetables_ when they were just going to die?

Well, they had another thing coming. Harry was running away, and he’d never eat another vegetable again. Except for maybe carrots, because carrots were good for his eyes and he didn’t want to wear glasses.

This is how Harry found himself with a fully packed bag, sneaking towards the door to the back of the manor. It was the entrance used mostly when Harry wanted to go out and play, or when the adults needed a larger space for magic.

The six-year-old tip-toed, careful to avoid any Death eaters. He doubted they would say or do anything, but he wanted a head start for running away. He wanted someone to ask “Where is Harry?” and for no one to have the answer.

His sneakers padded quietly across the floor, and he hoisted his backpack up again before he reached for the door. 

The weather outside was beautiful, and Harry regretted putting on a jumper. Better safe than sorry, he had learned. The weather could be unpredictable.

Harry closed the door behind him, and he began walking faster now that he was outdoors. No one seemed to be around, and Harry started to sprint towards the stretch of forestry that lined the Manors grounds. He wasn’t supposed to play in the trees because there were monsters and bad people, but Harry was pretty sure those were lies to make him behave.

As he got closer to the foliage, Harry had to crane his neck to take in the entire greenery. The tree’s stood tall, billowing side to side in a dizzying display. They dwarfed Harry comically, not even the shrubs were short.

The small boy stepped past the threshold of grass into the small forest and began walking cautiously. The sound of the wind billowing through the trees and crunch underneath his feet was all he could hear. Harry continued walking, glancing behind him every few steps to watch as the familiar field of the Riddle Manor disappeared behind the stock of trunks and bush.

The ground beneath him began to slope, and Harry had to tread carefully downhill.

The tops of the trees became more and more dense, only allowing a small amount of sunlight to filter through, giving the illusion of it being later than it was. Harry ignored the rustling to the left of him and tried to ignore how each shadow made him jump.

He was a big boy now, he didn’t need adults anymore. He soldiered on. He didn’t need anyone but himself.

Harry tried to ignore how sad he felt.

Would they even miss him?

_ Harry hoped they would. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> GUYS. I’m sorry it takes me a while to update, I’m the worst.
> 
> The time skips are needed, and I really want to get to Hogwarts soon! Harry and Draco needed to become best friends YESTERDAY. And best friends they will be, regardless of Draco's willingness. Sorry for the sort-of cliffhanger ;)
> 
> [1] I decided that Voldemort would be able to touch Harry. I’ll chalk it up to Frank and Alice’s blood altering him enough that the protection spell won’t work on his new body. How else are we supposed to see them cuddle *cries*  
> [2] With his new body and handsome-beautiful-godlike face, I will start referring to him as Tom sometimes *swoons*  
> [3] If you didn't catch it, yes, Barty is getting it on with the Dark Lord. I'm working on a one-shot with them for this fic right now, which will show how they became a thing ;U;


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